Drain valve assembly for lawn sprinkler systems



Sept. Z2, 1959 N, VAN WAGENEN ET AL 2,905,196 DRAIN VALVE ASSEMBLY FORLAWN SPRINKLER SYSTEMS l Filed OC. 8, 1956 United States Patent O DRAINVALVE ASSEMBLY FOR LAWN SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Norman L. Van Wagenen, SaltLake City, and Ara Norman Lamph, Bountiful, Utah Application October 8,1956, Serial No. 614,508

3 Claims. (Cl. IS7-625.2)

This invention relates to component parts of lawn sprinkler systems, andparticularly to drain valve assemblies therefor.

It is customary to provide drain valves in lawn sprinkler systems,especially in climates where a winter season requires drainage toprevent freezing. Ordinary practice in this respect involves theincorporation of a drain pet cock of one type or another at one or morelow points of the system, usually at the terminus of each branch line.Such drain pet cocks are invariably located below ground, necessitatingthe provision of access holes leading downwardly thereto from thesurface for accommodating a manipulating rod at such times as it isdesired to drain the system or to place it in condition for use afterthe winter season is over. Such holes are not only unsightly, but veryoften become lled with debris which must be removed before the holes canbe used.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a drain valve andsprinkler assembly that entirely eliminates the need for access holesand use of a manipulative rod, and that makes possible a most convenientclosing and opening of the drain by merely turning the sprinkler head atthe surface in one direction or the other.

In accomplishing our purpose, we provide a unique valve in combinationwith a sprinkler riser and head. Connected to the terminus of any branchsprinkler line or other drainage terminal of a lawn sprinkler system,such combination enables drainage to be effected quickly and easily bymerely turning the riser. The sprinkler head ordinarily serves as aconvenient handle for the purpose.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description of the preferred specific embodimentillustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents an elevation of the valve, sprinkler riser, andsprinkler head combination, looking toward the open end of the valvelateral which aords connection with the terminus of a branch line of alawn sprinkler system, the valve being shown in sprinkling position andintermediate portions of the riser being broken out for convenience ofillustration;

Fig. 2, a view corresponding to that of Fig. l, but taken after thesprinkler head and riser have been turned through 90 to turn the valveinto drainage position;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4, a corresponding view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5, a horizontal section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6, a horizontal section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 7, a horizontal section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. l.

Referring now to the drawing:

The invention is here illustrated in connection With a Patented Sept.22, 1959 Mice Thompson type of sprinkler head, but it is to beunderstood that other sprinkler heads may be used with equal eiect sofar as the purposes of the invention are concerned.

The inventive combination includes a drain valve 10, 'a riser pipe 11,and a sprinkler head 12.

'As here illustrated, the drain valve 10 comprises a valve body 13,having a receiving passage 14 extending completely therethrough forrotatably mounting a ported movable valve member 15, and having aninternally threaded, iiuid ow lateral 16 whose flow passage 16-1intersects the receiving passage 14 and is adapted for connection with asupply pipe (not shown), usually the low terminus of a lawn sprinklerline.

Movable valve member 15 is rotatably tted into re- 'ceiving passage 14of valve body 13, so as to extend across and control flow throughlateral 16. Its upper end is recessed and internally threaded at `17 topermit the lower end of riser 11 to be screwed thereinto, asillustrated. A spring retainer clip 18 rotatably secures such valvemember in position within the valve body.

Valve member 15 is provided with alternative ow passages therethroughhaving respective ports aording control of fluid flow as between supplyand drainage positions. ln the form illustrated, two oppositelydirected, right-angled or elbow ilow passages 19 and 20 are provided inthe upper and lower portions, respectively, of such movable valve member15, to provide ilow communication between lateral 16 and sprinkler riser11, in one position of the valve, Fig. 3, and to provide owcommunication between such lateral 16 and the ground in an oppositeposition of such valve, Fig. 4.

The lateral branch 20a of flow passage 20 preferably communicates withthe lowest point of lateral 16, so as to effectively drain the entirepipe line connected therewith.

For establishing proper registry of the passages 19 and 20 with thelateral 16 in the alternative positions of the valve, limit stop meansare provided between valve body 13 and movable valve member 15. In theform illustrated, valve body 13 has its upper end counter-recessed at21, except for an arcuate segment 22 of predetermined length andposition. Movable valve member 15 is provided with an arcuate shoulder23 of formation similar to that of the segment 22, so as to t and rotatewithin the counter-recess 21 of valve body 13.

Shoulder 23 abuts against segment 22 in both directions of rotation ofthe valve member relative to the valve body, abutting against one endthereof in one direction and against the opposite end in the otherdirection. The combined arcuate length of shoulder and segment isadvantageously ninety angular degrees, and segment 22 is, under suchcircumstances, positioned midway between a semicircular portion of thevalve body taken from the axis 24 of lateral 16, see Fig. 5.

A bleeder passage 25 is provided as a rearward extension of the lateralbranch 19a of passage 19, so as to provide for draining the sprinklerriser 11, as well as any supply line connected to lateral 16, in thedrain position of the valve.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with respect toa specic embodiment thereof, it should be realized that changes may bemade within the scope of the following claims, without departing fromthe essential contributions to the art made by the teachings hereof.

We claim:

l. A drain valve, comprising a valve body having a receiving passageextending therethrough from end to end thereof, and having a lateralmember with a ow passage therethrough intersecting said receivingpassage, said lateral member being adapted for connection to piping; and

a movable valve member snugly tted in said receiving passage of thevalve body for rotation relative to the latter, said valve member havingoppositely directed ow passages formed within respective end portionsthereof and extending, respectively, from a location 'at one sidethereof, adapted for communication with said lateral member, to one ofsaid ends of the valve member, and from a similar location at anotherside thereof to the opposite end of said valve member, and having ableeder passage extending laterally therethrough as a continuation ofone of said oppositely directed flow passages and opening adjacent theopening of the other of said ow passages so as to be comprehended incommon therewith by said flow passage of the lateral member', that endof said movable valve member to which said one iiow'lpassage extendsbeing recessed and .internally threaded for the reception of piping.

2. The drain valve assembly of claim l, wherein there are also providedmutually engaging abutment means on the valve body and the movable valvemember, respectively, for establishing proper alternative registry ofthe ir f lthe ppSilcly directed O'W passages and v0f the latter of saidiiow passages along with the bleeder passage, respectively.

3. The drain valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the mutually engagingabutment means comprise respective members of arcuate segmentalformation disposed Within circular interengaging formations of the valvebody and the movable valve member, respectively.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTD STATES PATENTS

